Alma Bax Shahi Yakhni Pulao is the most famous dish in the Hyderabad cuisine. Shahi means tomato and Yakhni means frying. It is prepared by frying onions and tomatoes separately in hot oil and then adding spices and yogurt, and lastly, it is finished with roasted whole spices.
Shahi Yakhni Pulao is a very delicious and healthy breakfast dish. It can be served with any type of bread and is very filling.
Shahi yakhni pulao is first cooked with pressure cooker to cook the rice, which is few minutes. Then the traditional pressure cooker is used for cooking yogurt. Then pressure cooker is used for cooking saffron soaked rice. Then Shahi yakhni pulao is packed in air tight containers and refrigerated. This way it will keep good and it will taste good too.
Yakhni pulao is a famous Awadhi dish from north India. Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh, is the birthplace of Awadhi cuisine. The diversity of awadh cuisine is reflected in the ingredients utilized, which include mutton, paneer, ghee, and rich spices like as cardamom and saffron.
Yakhni pulao is popular in north India and neighboring countries such as Pakistan, where it is prepared in a variety of ways using a variety of fragrant spices.
The difference between biryani and pulao is that pulao is made by cooking the meat in water with warm aromatic spices until tender, then adding the rice to the meat broth along with the meat, which is then sealed and cooked over low heat until done, whereas biryani is made by boiling or parboiling the rice separately in spiced water and then layering it with meat curry or marinade, depending on the type of meat.
I’ve prepared yakhni pulao before, but I’d like to call it shahi yakhni pulao since it contains saffron, dried rose petals, fragrant spices, and ghee (clarified butter) in addition to dry fruits and nuts such as raisins (kishmish) and cashew nuts (kaju).
I created lamb/mutton yakhni pulao by first creating a stock using lamb parts and bones, then adding it to the rice to make a more aromatic and flavorful lamb pulao. I prepared it using spring lamb, but it may also be made with mutton or chicken.
Many aromatic spices are used in the broth or stock in yakhni pulao, but it is not required; I used it since I had all of the components in my kitchen. Pulao may be made using any ingredients you have on hand.
Shahi yakhni pulao is not as hot as my biryani, but it is extremely aromatic and tasty. As an absorption technique, I boiled the rice.
Ingredients
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- 750 gms spring lamb (with bones)
- 1500 mL (10 cups) water
Yakhni Yakhni Yakhni Y (broth or stock)
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- 2 onions
- 1 large slice of ginger
- 1 full garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
- 1 tsp saunf (aniseed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 green cardamoms
- Cloves (about 5 cloves)
- 3 cinnamon sticks (2 inch lengths)
- – 2 – – – – – – – – –
- 1 inch slice of jaiphal (nutmeg)
- 2 blooms of Javitri (mace)
- 2 tbsp dried rose petals
Gravy
- 1/3 cup oil/ghee
- 2 onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 bay leaves
- sliced carrots – 2
- 1 cup of curd
- 4 green chillies, slit
- Lamb that has been cooked
- 4 cup yakhni (stock)
- 2 cups to 2 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Kewra water
- a pinch of saffron color
- a large pinch of saffron (kesar)
- 2 tbsp. ghee
- 3 tbsp Kishmish (raisins)
- 20 cashew nuts
- a pinch of salt (to taste)
- 1 large onion (for frying and garnishing)
Method
For the sake of yakhni (stock)
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- On the onion, make an x section cut or roughly chop into pieces and set away.
- In the stock, you may use the entire garlic clove or split it in half with the skin on, no need to peel it.
- Ginger should be chopped or sliced into small bits.
- Preheat the vessel with adequate water, then add the lamb chunks and the other ingredients (excluding the dried rose petals).
- Boil for 10 minutes, then cover and cook on a low heat.
- After 30 minutes, add the rose petals and continue to simmer until the meat is done.
- The duration will range from 45 minutes to an hour.
- The yakhni (stock) is now fragrant, flavored with a variety of aromatic spices, and has a layer of greasy animal fat on top.
- Strain the stock into a larger pot and set aside the meat pieces.
- Some spices will be stuck to the meat chunks, which you may leave or remove according to your preferences.
yakhni pulao preparation
- Separately fry the onion and cashew nuts in deep oil or ghee and set aside for decoration.
- Preheat the pan with ghee or oil, then add the bay leaf and onions and cook until golden brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the carrots, coriander leaves, and green chilies and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Cook for 7 to 10 minutes on medium heat after adding the curd (simmer the flame).
- If the curd is too thick, add 1/2 cup water or stock to soften it up so it cooks like gravy rather than being dry.
- Boil for 10 minutes after adding the mutton chunks and stock.
- Add the kewra essence and rice, stir well, and simmer until the rice has absorbed the stock and the holes in the rice begin to appear.
- Simmer the flame at this point.
- kishmish, kaju, saffron color, saffron threads, lemon juice, fried onions (optional), coriander leaves, and a few tbsp of ghee on top
- Cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
- When you squeeze a few grains between your index finger and thumb, they feel hard yet mash completely, the rice is done.
- Turn it off and let it to rest for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Serve the yakhni pulao with any raitha, chicken or mutton curry, and any non-vegetarian fry masala.
Notes
- 8 to 10 cups (1 cup=200ml) of water should be used for yakhni, which should be reduced to 7 cups or less after cooked.
- Pulao or biryanis may be made using the leftover stock.
- I just sprinkled saffron (kessar) over the rice. Saffron color or biryani color may be soaked in warm milk for a few minutes and then sprinkled on the rice (30ml). I chose this color for a variety of reasons, but you may use any of them.
- You may add peas for color or leave the veggies out entirely.
- You may prepare the yakhni ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer until needed. When meat is refrigerated or chilled, the fat hardens and begins to float on top, forming a thin layer that you may remove or incorporate according to your preference, since it has a meat flavor.
This is a very simple recipe for making a quick one pot meal in your own kitchen. It is also one of those dishes which you can make with almost every kind of meat you have.. Read more about how to make yakhni mutton pulao and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Yakhni Pulao different from biryani?
Yakhni Pulao is a dish that is made with rice and meat, whereas biryani is a dish that is made with rice and vegetables.
What is Yakhni Pulao made of?
Yakhni Pulao is a dish made of rice and yogurt.
What is Yakhni?
Yakhni is a traditional Georgian dish that consists of lamb, vegetables, and spices.
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